Thursday 26 May 2016: National Day of Screening for Skin Cancer

Organised by the French National Union of Dermatologists (SNDV), and supported by the French National Cancer Institute (INCa), the 18th edition of the National Day of Screening for Skin Cancer will be held on Thursday, 26 May 2016, to highlight the risks of UV exposure, and to raise awareness about the measures for protecting oneself from this cancer, and for detecting it.

During this day, free screening consultations will be on offer throughout France.[1]

Although less common than carcinoma, melanoma is the most “serious” type of skin cancer, because of its propensity for rapid progression to the metastatic stages.

In 2015, melanoma was responsible for 14,325 new cases, and 1,773 deaths in France.[2]

At Inserm, research is actively underway to improve understanding of the mechanisms involved in metastatic spread, and to develop new therapeutic strategies.

Work done at Inserm Unit 981 by Caroline Robert, winner of the Inserm Research Prize 2015, has contributed to the development of immunotherapy and targeted therapies, major advances in the treatment of metastatic melanomas. Her team is currently focusing on the adverse effects of new drugs in order to develop more effective treatments.